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GREAT HYMN OF OBEISANCE: A CONTEMPLATION
DEVOTION AND MEDITATION
In the manner, there is the collection of information in the office of the Information Department, but that Department is indifferent towards them; similarly, we would also study, listen and narrate to others or write new treatises, but that truth would not become our own. When we accept it after testing it on the touchstone of logic, then our faith in that would emerge. Consequently, we would desire to experience that supreme truth and put all our energy in that effort and we would certainly experience that at the appropriate time. One should not waste time in merely indulging in external tendencies in the name of the religion.
External good behaviour and auspicious sentiments are there even in the life of knowledgeable religious persons and should be there, but those are not the religions of the soul; the religion of the soul is in knowing and recognising one's own soul Bhagwan and in getting engrossed in it and in reveling in it.
This is not the talk of prohibition of external behaviour or good behaviour, but it certainly prohibits considering religion in this only and feeling satisfied therein; because feeling satisfied at this stage would slacken or stop the task of the search of the soul. What to talk about slackening or stopping, as a matter of fact the task of the search of the soul does not even begin and this soul remains entangled in the external rituals only.
It is the belief of Jainism that one substance does not do any good or bad to another substance. When one substance does not do anything to another substance, then the question of doing good or bad does not arise. When this is the truth, then how can the action of another substance be the religion of the soul? Therefore, it is certain that the welfare of the soul lies in the soul only, not in the body etc., not even in the activities of the body etc.
According to Jain philosophy it is not only difficult, but also impossible to do anything for 'para'. Therefore, the religion also cannot do anything for 'para'. The nature of the soul is knowledge, to know; therefore, to know is the normal religion of the soul, to continue to know the soul is also the normal religion of the soul. Therefore, knowledge of the self and meditation of the inner-self are the normal religions of the soul. Therefore, there is no question of any difficulty arising from these.
तस्वीरे खुदा हृदय के आइने में है, जब चाही गर्दन झुकाई देख ली। Tasvire khuda hardiya ke aine mai hai,
jab chahi gardan jhukai dekh li. It has been said in this that the picture of God is there in your heart, like mirror, therefore you can see it whenever you so desire by bowing your neck. But brother, this is the belief of Islam, not ours.
Oh Brother, is it an easy task to bow the neck? Particularly, in the country where it is said that we are prepared to be beheaded but cannot bow our neck'.
For persons with self-respect, bowing the neck is worse than death.
Whenever there is pain in our neck, it becomes impossible even to move the neck, bowing it is a farfetched thing. What one would get, even if the neck were bowed after accepting suffering and sacrificing self-respect? Even the visualisation would not be that of the God, but of his own picture. We do not want to visualise somebody's picture, we also do not want to visualise another God. Are not we ourselves God?
कम्बख्ती इस रूह की ऐसी कि
खुद खुदा होकर भी बन्दा नजर आता है। Kambakhties ruha ki easi ki,
khud khuda hokar bhi banda nazar ata hai. Oh Brother, we are not someone's captive, we are ourselves God. We are not someone's devotee, but are ourselves God. We do not desire to visualise another God, we have to know and recognise ourselves. For knowing oneself and for visualising oneself, it is not necessary to bow the neck, instead, it is necessary to concentrate the paryaya of consciousness on the eternal soul, and it is necessary to make the knowledge of the soul Bhagwan worth knowing. This is the reason that in our posture of meditation, our neck does not remain bent, instead it remains straight and it must be straight.
Many people say that we must see towards nose during meditation, we should see the tip of the nose. Some say that we must visualise the
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